Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra), the Slippery Elm, is a species of elm native to eastern North America from southeast North Dakota east to southern Quebec and south to northernmost Florida and eastern Texas. Although similar to American Elm in general appearance, it is more closely related to the European Wych Elm, sharing very similar flower structure with that species. Other common names include Red Elm, Gray Elm, Soft Elm, Moose Elm, and Indian Elm.
The Slippery Elm is a deciduous tree reaching 10-20 m tall and 50 cm trunk diameter. The leaves are 10-18 cm long, with a rough texture, coarsely double-serrate margin and an oblique base. The flowers are produced before the leaves in early spring, in clusters of 10-20; the fruit is an oval winged samara 2 cm long containing a single seed in the center. Slippery Elm may be distinguished from American Elm by the hairiness of the buds and twigs (American Elm has smooth buds and twigs), and by the flowers being very short-stalked.
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